Gaming method for playing a card game, and gaming apparatus for performing the same

ABSTRACT

A gaming method for playing a card game includes the steps of: configuring a gaming apparatus to generate a gaming screen that includes a predetermined number of player areas and a virtual card dealing wheel surrounded by the player areas; configuring the gaming apparatus to distribute virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel; configuring the gaming apparatus to spin the virtual card dealing wheel for a limited time and, after the virtual card dealing wheel stops spinning, to deal at least a portion of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel to the player areas having active players associated therewith; and configuring the gaming apparatus to determine a winner of the card game based on the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas having active players associated therewith.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 099111239, filed on Apr. 12, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gaming apparatus, more particularly to a gaming apparatus adapted for performing a gaming method for playing a card game.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional card game, such as a five-card stud, can be played by two to ten players. Typically, in the conventional card game, all players have to place an equal amount of forced bet (ante) into the pot before playing cards are dealt. After the ante, each of the players is dealt one playing card shown face down, followed by one playing card shown face up. A first betting round begins with one of the players who was dealt with the face-up playing card having a greatest value, and said one of the players may opt to place a bet, to check or to fold. The other players may then decide to call, raise, check or fold. After the first betting round is completed, another playing card shown face up is dealt to each of the active players, followed by a second betting round beginning with one of the active players who was dealt with a greatest hand value of the two face-up playing cards. Then, each of the active players is dealt with a fourth playing card shown face up, followed by a third betting round. After dealing a fifth playing card shown face up to each of the active players, a fourth betting round begins with one of the active players who was dealt with a greatest hand value of the four face-up playing cards and who may opt to call, fold or declare all in, and the other players may decide to call or fold. Finally, one of the active players who was dealt with a greatest hand value of the five playing cards is deemed the winner of the conventional card game, and the winner may take all the bets placed in the pot during the betting rounds. Typically, the order of a ranking of a hand value of five playing cards is royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, tow pairs, one pair, and zilch.

Although the conventional card game (i.e., five-card stud) and other similar card games (such as Texas hold 'em) are still popular, rules thereof have remained the same for some time. Therefore, players may be interested in a card game with some variation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a gaming method for playing a card game that may interest players.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer program product comprising a machine readable storage medium having program instructions stored therein which when executed cause a computer to perform the gaming method for playing the card game.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gaming apparatus for playing the card game.

Accordingly, a gaming method for playing a card game of this invention is adapted to be implemented by a gaming apparatus that includes a display unit, a memory device storing program instructions for playing a card game, and a processing unit coupled to the display unit and the memory device. The processing unit is operable to execute the program instructions to perform the gaming method for playing the card game. The gaming method comprises the steps of:

a) generating a gaming screen that includes a predetermined number of player areas and a virtual card dealing wheel surrounded by the player areas, and showing the gaming screen on the display unit;

b) distributing virtual playing cards from a predetermined virtual playing card deck on the virtual card dealing wheel, the virtual playing cards corresponding in number to the player areas and being shown on the gaming screen;

c) spinning the virtual card dealing wheel for a limited time and, after the virtual card dealing wheel stops spinning, dealing at least a portion of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel to the player areas having active players associated therewith, the virtual playing cards being dealt to the player areas that are registered in position therewith when spinning of the virtual card dealing wheel stops; and

d) determining at least one winner of the card game based on the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas that have active players associated therewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a gaming apparatus for playing a card game according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for illustrating components of the gaming apparatus of the preferred embodiment;

FIGS. 3 to 5 are flow charts for illustrating a gaming method for playing a card game implemented by the gaming apparatus of the preferred embodiment; and

FIGS. 6 to 15 are schematic diagrams of gaming screens to illustrate the gaming method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of a gaming apparatus 100 for playing a card game according to this invention includes a machine body 1 provided with a plurality of payment mechanisms 3, a display unit 6, an input unit 7, and a memory device 4 and a processing unit 5 that are disposed in the machine body 1.

In this embodiment, the display unit 6 and the input unit 7 are integrated into a touch screen 2 mounted on a top surface of the machine body 1, and the memory device 4 includes a random access memory (RAM). The payment mechanisms 3 can be coin slots or card readers, and the gaming apparatus 100 further includes a plurality of payment sensors 30 corresponding to the payment mechanisms 3 and coupled to the processing unit 5. Each of the payment sensors 30 is operable to send a payment signal to the processing unit 5 when a player makes a payment through a corresponding one of the payment mechanisms 3. A number of the payment mechanisms 3 is equal to six in this embodiment, that is to say, the gaming apparatus 100 is configured to allow a maximum of six players to play the card game at the same time. It should be noted that the block diagram in FIG. 2 only shows one of the payment mechanisms 3 and a corresponding one of the payment sensors 30 for illustration. The memory device 4 stores program instructions for playing the card game. The processing unit 5 is coupled to the display unit 6, the input unit 7 and the memory device 4, and is operable to execute the program instructions to perform a gaming method for playing the card game.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, the gaming method implemented by the gaming apparatus 100 includes the following steps.

The gaming apparatus 100 is configured to generate a gaming screen and to show the gaming screen on the touch screen 2 when in a standby state. The gaming screen includes six player areas 21 and a virtual card dealing wheel 23 surrounded by the player areas 21. In step S11, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine whether a payment signal from one of the payment sensors 30 has been received.

When a first player makes a payment through one of the payment mechanisms 3, the processing unit 5 will receive the payment signal from the corresponding one of the payment sensors 30. In response to the payment signal, the processing unit 5 is operable to configure the touch screen 2 to display a virtual playing card deck 22 on the gaming screen in step S12, and execute step S13. In this embodiment, the virtual playing card deck 22 includes twenty-eight virtual playing cards, i.e., four different suits each of which includes 8 to King and Ace, and a pair of joker playing cards that are not added into the virtual playing card deck 22 in this step. The number of the virtual playing cards in the virtual playing card deck 22 is not limited to the disclosure, and may be varied according to the number of players or other requirements. Upon determining that the first player made a payment that is greater than a predetermined ante value, the processing unit 5 is operable to configure the touch screen 2 to display a confirm button on one of the player areas 21 that is associated with the first player. The first player will participate in the card game as an active player when the player presses the confirm button through the touch screen 2.

In step S13, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine whether another payment signal from a different one of the payment sensors 30 has been received. Similarly, when the processing unit 5 determines that a second player made a payment that is greater than the predetermined ante value, the processing unit 5 is operable to configure the touch screen 2 to display a confirm button on another one of the player areas 21 that is associated with the second player.

In step S14, after determining that there are at least two active players participating in the card game, the processing unit 5 is operable to start countdown to a predetermined time limit and to configure the touch screen 2 to display the predetermined time limit on the other player areas 21 that are associated with the payment mechanisms 3 that were not used to make a payment. The processing unit 5 is further operable to determine whether the predetermined time limit has lapsed. When the predetermined time limit has lapsed, the processing unit 5 is operable to start the card game.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, it is assumed that there are six active players participating in the card game, and each of the active players has made a payment equal to the predetermined ante value that is equal to ten in this embodiment. Therefore, a total amount of bets in the pot is equal to sixty.

In step S21, beginning with one of the active players who has made the payment first, the processing unit 5 is operable to deal a virtual playing card shown face down from the virtual playing card deck 22 to each of the player areas 21 associated with each of the active players, followed by step S22 to deal another virtual playing card shown face up to each of the player areas 21, and to show on the gaming screen the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas 21 as shown in FIG. 7. In step S23, the processing unit 5 is operable to distribute six virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 as shown in FIG. 8. The virtual playing cards distributed on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 are angularly spaced apart from each other by 360°/6 (i.e., 60°), and are arranged along a circumference of the virtual card dealing wheel 23.

In step S24, the processing unit 5 is operable to configure the input unit 7 to provide a peek button (not shown), and to shown the peek button on each of the player areas 21. When the processing unit 5 receives a peek command from one of the active players through the peek button shown on one of the player areas 21 associated therewith, the processing unit 5 is operable to configure the touch screen 2 to show a corner of the virtual playing card that is shown face down on the gaming screen in step S25. The active player may use his/her hands as a cover when peeking at the corner of the face-down virtual playing card so as to prevent other active players from seeing the corner of this face-down virtual playing card. In other embodiments, the gaming apparatus 100 may include a mechanism for obstructing view of other active players at a position on the touch screen 2 where the face-down virtual playing card is shown.

In step S26, according to conventional card game rules, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine a hand value of the face-up virtual playing card on each of the player areas 21 associated with each of the active players. Then, the processing unit 5 is operable to configure the input unit 7 to provide a button set 24 (see FIG. 8) associated with one of the player areas 21 dealt with a greatest hand value of the face-up virtual playing card relative to the other player areas 21. Subsequently, after receipt of input from one of the active players associated with said one of the player areas 21 through the button set 24, the processing unit 5 is operable to provide the button set 24 associated with each of the other player areas 21 in sequence. According to the rules of the card game, the button set 24 may include a bet button, a call button, a fold button, a check button, a raise button, a re-raise button and an all-in button. In other embodiments, the processing unit 5 may be operable to configure the input unit 7 to provide the button sets 24 in sequence according to positions of the player areas 21.

The processing unit 5 is operable to calculate and record the total amount of the bets in the pot, to mark the player areas associated with inactive players who opted to fold through the fold button, and to not deal the virtual playing cards to the player areas associated with the inactive players. It is assumed that all of the active players opted to check without betting through the check button in this betting round. Accordingly, the processing unit 5 is operable to record the bet placed by each of the active players as ten and to show the bets on the player areas 21, and the total amount of the bets in the pot is still equal to sixty.

After the betting round, in step 27, the processing unit 5 is operable to provide and show a spin button on said one of the player areas 21 dealt with the greatest hand value of the face-up virtual playing cards. The processing unit 5 is configured to receive a spin trigger input from one of the active players associated with said one of the players through the spin button.

In response to the spin trigger input, in step S28, the processing unit 5 is operable to start spinning the virtual card dealing wheel 23 for a limited time, as shown in FIG. 9. After the virtual card dealing wheel 23 stops spinning, the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 are oriented toward the player areas 21, respectively, as shown in FIG. 10. In this embodiment, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine the limited time and a spinning speed of spinning motion of the virtual card dealing wheel 23 based upon an amount and duration of force applied to the spin button.

In step S29, the processing unit 5 is operable to deal the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 to the player areas 21 having active players associated therewith. In particular, the virtual playing cards are dealt to the player areas that are registered in position therewith when spinning of the virtual card dealing wheel 23 stops.

It can be appreciated from the foregoing that a feature of the card game implemented using the gaming apparatus 100 of this invention is that the virtual playing cards are shown face up on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 such that the active players may expect to get one of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23. Therefore, the active players may be interested in placing a relatively higher bet during the next betting round.

In step S30, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine whether a final round of dealing the virtual playing cards has been reached. According to the rules of the card game in this embodiment, it is predetermined to deal five virtual playing cards to each active player, and only three virtual playing cards have been dealt to each active player in step S29. Thus, the flow goes to step S31.

Similar to step S23, the processing unit 5 is operable to distribute six other virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 in step S31. Then, the flow goes back to step S26.

It is assumed that one of the active players raises the bet by ten, and the other active players opt to call in this betting round. As shown in FIG. 11, the processing unit 5 is operable to calculate and record the total amount of the bets in the pot as 120.

After the second time to execute step S29, each of the active players has been dealt four of the virtual playing cards. Thus, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine that the final round of dealing the virtual playing cards will be performed in step S30, and to execute the following steps shown in FIG. 5.

In step S32, the processing unit 5 is operable to configure the touch screen 2 to display a pair of joker playing cards as shown in FIG. 12, and to add the joker playing cards into the predetermined virtual playing card deck 22. The value of each of the joker playing cards is treated as that of one of the virtual playing cards that would result in a greatest hand value for the player area 22 dealt with the joker playing card. Therefore, a probability of a relatively greater hand value of the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas 21 is increased, and player interest in the card game may be sustained.

In step S33, as shown in FIG. 13, the processing unit 5 is operable to distribute six other virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23.

Steps S34 to S37 are similar to steps S26 to S29. It assumed that one of the active players (hereinafter referred to as player A) associated with the player area 21 dealt with the greatest hand value of the face-up virtual playing cards raises the bet by ten in step S34, that is to say, the bet placed by player A is thirty at this time. Other active players hereinafter are referred to as players B, C, D, E and F in sequence. Players B and C both opt to call the bet in this betting round, and player D opts to re-raise the bet by ten, that is to say, the bet placed by player D is forty at this time. Player E opts to fold and thus becomes an inactive player in this round of the card game, and players F, A, B and C decide to call the bet. Therefore, this betting round is completed, and the processing unit 5 is operable to calculate and record the total amount of the bets in the pot as 220 (see FIG. 13), to mark the player area 21E associated with the inactive player (player E), and to not deal the virtual playing cards to the player area 21E associated with player E. In step S35, the processing unit 5 is operable to provide and show the spin button on the player area 21 associated with player A. In step S37, the processing unit 5 is operable to deal the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 respectively to the player areas 21 associated with players A, B, C, D and F. Since player E has opted to fold in step S34, one of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23 that is at a position registered with the player area 21 associated with player E will remain on the virtual card dealing wheel 23.

In step S38, the processing unit 5 is operable to provide a final betting round before showing the face-down virtual playing cards dealt in step S21 on the gaming screen. It is assumed that one of the player areas 21 associated with player B was dealt with the greatest hand value of the face-up virtual playing cards at this time. Therefore, the processing unit 5 is operable to perform the final betting round beginning with player B. Player B raises the bet by fifty (the bet placed by player B is equal to ninety), player C opts to call the bet, and player D decides to re-raise the bet by fifty (the bet placed by player D is equal to 140). Since player E is now an inactive player, player E is not involved in the final betting round. Player F opts to fold in this betting round and becomes an inactive player, players A and B call the bet, and player C also opts to fold. Player D decides to not re-raise again, and the final betting round is completed. As shown in FIG. 14, the processing unit 5 is operable to calculate and record the total amount of the bets in the pot as 570.

In step S39, the processing unit 5 is operable to show face up the virtual playing cards that were dealt in step S21 on the gaming screen (see FIG. 15). In particular, the processing unit 5 is operable to show face up the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas 21 that are associated with active players at this time. Since players C, E and F are inactive players at this time, the processing unit 5 is operable to show face up the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas 21A, 21B and 21D that are associated with players A, B and D.

In step S40, the processing unit 5 is operable to determine a winner of the card game based on the hand values of the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas 21. In particular, the processing unit 5 is operable to compare, with a predetermined ranking table, a combination of the virtual playing cards dealt to each of the player areas 21 having an active player associated therewith. The predetermined ranking table includes every possible combination of the virtual playing cards and the hand value thereof. For example, royal flush of spade has the greatest hand value relative to other combinations in the predetermined ranking table. As shown in FIG. 15, the combination of the virtual playing cards and the joker playing card dealt to the player area 21B associated with player B is royal flush of diamond. Since the royal flush of diamond has the greatest hand value in the card game, player B is the winner of the card game.

In step S41, the processing unit 5 is operable to grant an award to the winner of the card game according to the total amount of the bets in the pot. For example, the processing unit 5 is operable to retain 10% of the bets in the pot and to grant 90% of the bets as the award to the winner.

In summary, by virtue of distribution of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel 23, the active players can know the virtual playing cards that will be dealt in the next round for reference in deciding whether to call or raise the bet. Therefore, the active players may be interested in continuing to play the card game and may be enticed to place a relatively higher bet.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A gaming method for playing a card game, said gaming method being adapted to be implemented by a gaming apparatus and comprising the steps of: a) configuring the gaming apparatus to generate a gaming screen that includes a predetermined number of player areas and a virtual card dealing wheel surrounded by the player areas; b) configuring the gaming apparatus to distribute virtual playing cards from a predetermined virtual playing card deck on the virtual card dealing wheel, the virtual playing cards corresponding in number to the player areas and being shown on the gaming screen; c) configuring the gaming apparatus to spin the virtual card dealing wheel for a limited time and, after the virtual card dealing wheel stops spinning, to deal at least a portion of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel to the player areas having active players associated therewith, the virtual playing cards being dealt to the player areas that are registered in position therewith when spinning of the virtual card dealing wheel stops; and d) configuring the gaming apparatus to determine at least one winner of the card game based on the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas that have active players associated therewith.
 2. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, between steps a) and b), the step of configuring the gaming apparatus to deal an initial number of the virtual playing cards from the predetermined virtual playing card deck to each of the player areas that has an active player associated therewith, and to show on the gaming screen the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas.
 3. The gaming method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the initial number of the virtual playing cards is two, one of the virtual playing cards in the initial number being shown face up on the gaming screen, the other one of the virtual playing cards in the initial number being shown face down on the gaming screen.
 4. The gaming method as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of the virtual playing cards in the initial number is shown face down on the gaming screen, said gaming method further comprising the step of configuring the gaming apparatus to show a corner of said one of the virtual playing cards that is shown face down on the gaming screen in response to a peek command from the active player associated with the player area dealt with said one of the virtual playing cards.
 5. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step b), the virtual playing cards are shown face up on the gaming screen.
 6. The gaming method as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the player areas is associated with a button set including at least one of a bet button, a call button, a fold button, a check button, a raise button, a re-raise button and an all-in button, said gaming method further comprising, between steps b) and c), the step of configuring the gaming apparatus to accept input from the active players associated with the player areas through the button sets associated with the player areas, to calculate and record a total amount of bets in the pot, to mark the player areas associated with inactive players who opted to fold through the fold button, and to not deal the virtual playing cards to the player areas associated with the inactive players.
 7. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step c) includes configuring the gaming apparatus to receive a spin trigger input from one of the active players associated with the player area dealt with a greatest hand value of the virtual playing cards relative to the other player areas and to start spinning the virtual card dealing wheel upon receipt of the spin trigger input.
 8. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, between steps c) and d), the step of configuring the gaming apparatus to repeat steps b) and c) until each of the player areas having an active player associated therewith has been dealt with a predetermined number of the virtual playing cards, the predetermined number of the virtual playing cards forming a card hand from which the gaming apparatus determines said at least one winner of the card game in step d).
 9. The gaming method as claimed in claim 8, wherein: when the gaming apparatus performs step b) fora final round of the card game, the gaming apparatus is configured to add a set of joker playing cards into the predetermined virtual playing card deck, and in step d), the gaming apparatus is configured to treat the value of each of the joker playing cards as that of one of the virtual playing cards that would result in a greatest card hand value for the player area dealt with the joker playing card.
 10. A computer program product comprising a machine readable storage medium having program instructions stored therein which when executed cause a computer to perform a gaming method for playing a card game according to claim
 1. 11. A gaming apparatus for playing a card game, comprising: a display unit; a memory device storing program instructions for playing a card game; and a processing unit coupled to said display unit and said memory device, and operable to execute the program instructions to perform a gaming method for playing the card game, the gaming method including the steps of: a) generating a gaming screen that includes a predetermined number of player areas and a virtual card dealing wheel surrounded by the player areas, and showing the gaming screen on the display unit; b) distributing virtual playing cards from a predetermined virtual playing card deck on the virtual card dealing wheel, the virtual playing cards corresponding in number to the player areas and being shown on the gaming screen; c) spinning the virtual card dealing wheel for a limited time and, after the virtual card dealing wheel stops spinning, dealing at least a portion of the virtual playing cards on the virtual card dealing wheel to the player areas having active players associated therewith, the virtual playing cards being dealt to the player areas that are registered in position therewith when spinning of the virtual card dealing wheel stops; and d) determining at least one winner of the card game based on the virtual playing cards dealt to the player areas that have active players associated therewith.
 12. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein, in step b), the virtual playing cards are shown face up on the gaming screen.
 13. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an input unit coupled to said processing unit, said input unit providing a plurality of button sets, each of the button sets being associated with a respective one of the player areas and including at least one of a bet button, a call button, a fold button, a check button, a raise button, a re-raise button and an all-in button, the gaming method further including, between steps b) and c), the steps of accepting input from the active players associated with the player areas through the button sets, calculating and recording a total amount of bets in the pot, marking the player areas associated with inactive players who opted to fold through the fold button, and not dealing the virtual playing cards to the player areas associated with the inactive players.
 14. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said input unit and said display unit are integrated into a touch screen.
 15. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said gaming method further includes, between steps c) and d), the step of repeating steps b) and c) until each of the player areas having an active player associated therewith has been dealt with a predetermined number of the virtual playing cards, the predetermined number of the virtual playing cards forming a card hand from which the processing unit determines said at least one winner of the card game in step d).
 16. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein: when the processing unit performs step b) for a final round of the card game, the processing unit is configured to add a set of joker playing cards into the predetermined virtual playing card deck, and in step d), the processing unit is configured to treat the value of each of the joker playing cards as that of one of the virtual playing cards that would result in a greatest card hand value for the player area dealt with the joker playing card.
 17. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a plurality of payment sensors coupled to said processing unit and respectively associated with the player areas, each of the payment sensors being operable to send a payment signal to said processing unit, said processing unit being operable to start the card game when at least two payment signals from at least two of said payment sensors are received thereby. 